"Cloud! Run!"

A sharp intake of air was taken from the man currently wedged in between two shipping crates. The smell of iron, metal, and oil overloading the sensitive nose. He let out a couple coughs and felt the back of his throat regurgitate. His head trying hard not to crumble into itself as it felt as if an elephant was sitting on it. His vision blotched and blurred.

He shook his head several times as the ringing in his ears cleared. The man became conscious of the fact that there was a dog barking next to him. Lately memories of the past had been overflowing and playing back rapidly. The horror of what happened just a week ago still replaying in his head. His comrade's blood still fresh in his hands despite how much he cleaned them at every bathroom stall he stumbled across.

The air was chilly and the sky lightly pouring down with rain. Thankfully his shitty luck was at least spared the wind. He squinted as he made out a silhouette in front of him and flinched when the screeching of the tire tracks passed by. Wiping his hand down his face he shook the nausea in his stomach and slowly stood up. The blotches of colors now becoming clear and the realization that he was being questioned after so long finally dawned on him.

"y… al… so?"

"Huh?"

"Yo… Alrig… I said"

The man in question wary of the stranger, it wasn't everyday a guard ran into a man carrying a blade larger than most men. The man grunted as a flashlight was pointed directly at his face. The guard at first took him for a regular bum and was about to chastise him for sleeping near the tracks like he usually does with the homeless.

They were on a boarding track on the shipping port on the poor side of Midgar. Usually at two in the morning the guard never has to worry about people getting off the train, but unfortunately loiters were common at this hour.

Finally having enough of all the irritating sounds around him, the man stood up and unconsciously gripped the handle of the blade in his left hand. His legs shook slightly as he stood and he grunted as he placed the blade on his back. Again shaking his head off as he felt as if the world was tilting.

The last thing he remembered before waking up here was him entering an empty train. He recalled being tossed out here by the train attendants when he didn't have a ticket. He honestly had no clue what he was doing here, he recalled his comrade saying something about a new life with a girl he used to know here. At that the man's brain clicked and he stuffed his hand down his right pocket. He could feel the outline of the letter he was asked to deliver. A dying man's last wish that was what he was here for, and at the very least it was the least he could do considering.

Trouble was where would he start? The only description his friend gave was that she was beautiful and tendered to flowers, with eyes as green as the planes of Gaia. He would have laughed if the situation called for it when he remembered that man's simplicity when it came to things.

The man was finally able to start to feel a small semblance of normality. Ever since he entered the metal city flash floods of memories had been returning to him. Things a lot of people would be put to death for knowing obviously too much. One thing was for sure, he had absolutely nowhere to go. He was about to open his mouth and explain to the guard the reason for his current state, before both men noticed another figure to their side.

"Cloud?!"

/

"Wow Oh my god it's been so long!"

The blond stared down at the saucer of alcohol in his hand and tried not to stare at the woman rummaging behind the counter he was leaning on. Images of Nibelheim surged through his head. Worst of all he kept remembering the incident with the famous Shinra hero and how he woke up in a green tube. God only knows what in the fuck they were doing to them.

He stared off from the corner of his eyes and noticed the calendar at the far end of the bar. He narrowed his eyes slightly at the date and he could only assume where he had been at for the past five years. Had he really been asleep that long?

"Cloud?"

The man stared up and immediately scowled as he reared his head back. Tifa's rather impressive bust caught him off guard and he quickly looked up. Her dark brown milk chocolate eyes stared at him in worry and uncertainty. Her dark raven ebony hair flowing down her shoulders like silk. The blond grunted again and drank down his vice as he returned the saucer. As she was about to get some more for him, the blond raised his hand.

"I don't have money"

"It's alright… It's on me, and besides it's not every day you run into childhood friend right?"

"I don't want any"

"..Ok"

An awkward silence fell upon the empty bar, the spinning fans still above them and the racked up seats did little to help. Tifa was cleaning off glasses and Cloud stared blankly at the wooden smooth counter in front of him. It had been over five years since they last met…. Well since Cloud last ran into her, he doubted she ever found out who he was during that incident.

On that note he decided it was time to leave, he didn't have anything to say and being around her was bringing up to many skeletons he would much rather not bring up. Tifa looked over shoulder as she heard the wooden stall screech back slightly and Cloud stood up with his back towards her. One thing was for sure, that scrawny short loner everyone called him back home wasn't so scrawny anymore.

He wasn't massive in muscle mass but he did have plenty and all of it was tight. His dark baggy cargo jeans, black boots and purple long sleeve zip up shirt did well in hiding that fact however. He picked up the blade he was resting on the counter with ease and slung it on his back strap. He was about to take his first step out of this bar before she called out to him.

"Cloud you're looking for work right?"

He looked over his shoulder and saw her leaning over the counter. The popular girl from back home was definitely the girl next door. She looked on edge and as if she was ready to spring up to tackle him if he so much as moved. The blond retracted his eyes away from her quickly and stared ahead at the exit. Now contemplating her offer that did sound appealing considering he had no clue how long he would remain here and a form of currency did sound appealing.

The knot in his stomach grew tighter and made him flinch in pain. On the other hand he'd be lying to himself if the fact that he could stay with someone who lived through the same nightmare and be able to sympathize with at least one other human being, did sound like a more appealing request. Tifa was possibly the last connection and trace to his old life left on this planet. Which would also probably be why she wanted him to stay.

The more the spikey haired blond thought about it however, the more memories from his childhood surfaced. It was funny really how much of her attention he wanted from her back then, now he'd do anything to keep her from looking at him. The more he thought about it the more convinced he was to leave and hopefully never stumble upon each other again. Besides he already felt pathetic enough, he didn't need to go through such great lengths for a little human contact.

"Thanks but no thanks"

Cloud replied simply as he walked away, Tifa bit her lip and looked down as she scanned the ground trying to come up with an idea to keep him from leaving. She hopped over the counter as she remembered the promise he made to her when they were kids.

"Wait Cloud what about your promise?"

To this man actually came to a halt as he was about to push the door open. Cloud narrowed his eyes on his fingers and blinked several times as more memories flooded through him. The street lights could be seen shining outside and outdoor ruckus could be heard from his position as the small city outside was still alive. That was the only thing heard as they fell into to silence once more. Tifa was caught off guard when she caught sight of him smirking, not at her but as he stared at the ground.

"I'm not a Hero"

"But!"

She quickly retorted and actually managed to grab to his sleeve as he was about to push out. Cloud was surprised by her strength and slowly turned to look at her. Their eyes interlocked and this time it was if she dared him to stare away from her this time. She was caught off momentum when she noticed the small green tint around his irises, the mark of a SOLDIER.

"You did become a SOLDIER didn't you?"

Cloud stared at her a long time now, the one thing that attracted him to her as child now evident again. Her fierce demeanor when she was serious, the one thing that attracted so much of the village back home to her. The man quickly stepped out of the way and brought Tifa slightly closer to him when the double door were suddenly kicked open.

"YEEEAAHHH BUDDY!"

In came a giant black stocky male with a thick beard. His physic was just quite frankly overbearing. Big brown boots, large green cargo jeans, and an open tan vest. A flat top fade was on his head, silver earrings, and a skull tattoo on his left arm. The one thing blatantly noticeable was the giant gun he had for a right arm. In toe were three other people, similarly dressed in light armor, all wearing headbands.

"BIGGS, WEDGE, JESSIE WE'RE GETTING SMASHED TONIGHT! OI TIFA!"

His loud blasting roar of a voice was enough to make the whole building shake. Cloud was about to drop his hand from reaching over to the handle of his sword when he came to the conclusion that he knew Tifa. Before he could do that though, all of them stopped laughing and stared over in their direction. An eerie silence soon followed and from their point of view it appeared as if he had cornered Tifa. With the scene the way it is, they were probably assuming he was mugging her or worse…. She was quite the catch after all.

"OI WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU MUTHAFUCKA?!"

The brash charging always head first bull roared as he pointed his gun arm in Cloud's direction. The three behind the black man all got into a fighting stance. The once descending hand over Cloud's shoulder began rising again and he gripped the handle. Before Tifa could intervene given as she had been pushed against the wall against Cloud's side, the man opened fire.

"Boss wat about Tif'?"

Biggs yelled out as he and the rest of the crew yanked on his shoulders. The man cursed under his breath at the realization and quickly stopped shooting. Unfortunately the rounds already left the barrel. Tifa stared wide eyed and flinched at the flashes coming from the man's barrels.

'Clink Clink Clink'

Tifa after a couple of seconds opened her eyes and realized nothing happened. Cloud stood sword drawn with it pointed at the man and stared at him coldly. The bullet holes off the sides of them indicated that the blond sliced them easily in half. The big black man and the three behind him stared at him with jaws dropped in disbelief. Before the bearded man could utter any words other than non-sense coherent mumbles Tifa voice easily thwarted his previous yelling…..

"BARRET WALLACE!"

/

"1,000 GIL?!"

"ARE YOU OUT OF YO FUCKIN MIND' WOMAN?"

"Barret you saw yourself what he can do, image how much easier the mission will go with his help"

"Who is the som' Bitch anyway? You're speaking a lot like you know him"

"He's an old friend"

Cloud to this grunted his disapproval at that remark off at the end of bar. He was leaning up against the wall arms crossed and for the most part eyes closed. Despite how their conversation had started off as whispers, Barret's stubborn attitude and loud voice made Tifa's escalate her own. It was honestly surprising for the Ex-SOLDIER to see Tifa so easily flustered.

The Tifa he knew wasn't necessarily quiet, how could she have been when she was the most popular girl in his hometown, but she never was one to raise her voice to such an extent. She was the kind of girl that kept her emotions to herself and you would have to try real hard to figure out. He had to be honest though despite growing up next to each other they rarely interacted with one another, so he guessed there was lot he didn't know about her.

The blond had to admit though the biggest shocker was how the girl dressed. It seemed as the years went on back home the girl seemed to show more and more skin. Tifa was in a tight black mini-skirt, a tight white tank top with suspenders to her skirt. Black elbow long sleeves and a pair of red gloves. He remembered her being a fanatic of martial arts and always being around Zangan.

"Hey! Spikey!"

Cloud without opening his eyes merely raised his right hand and caught the red velvet pouch filled with coins. From the weight he easily knew it wasn't 1,000 gil. He opened his eyes and pushed himself off the wall. He jingled the bag in his hands and he stared questionably at the boss.

"You get the rest when you earn it, ain't no way I'm payin ya 1,000 gil flat, lest you die and shit. What then? Me losing money fuck no"

Cloud pocketed the bag and deduced there was at least 250 gil in the small pouch. He was trying to remember exactly why he agreed to this. Not even a week into this city and he's already affiliated with some terrorist group. None the less he couldn't deny that 1,000 gil if spent wisely could last him the rest of his stay here if he managed to keep it for no more than two weeks.

"I want one more thing"

Cloud's silent voice spoke for the first time since talking with Tifa. His monotone voice slightly pissing off Barret and he grinded his teeth together. Tifa who was behind the counter again curious looked over at him as she served the three members of AVALANCHE some bourbon.

"Oh ya hot shot' what the fuck ya want now? 1,000 gil not enough for yo SOLDIER ass?"

"Information on someone"

To this the buff man stopped his ranting and was surprised he wasn't asking for more fucking money.

"Oh yea' who da hell ya lookin for'?"

"A woman"

"A WOMAN?!"

To this Barret had a hardy laugh as he said it. He never pictured this silent broader who he presumed to be asexual would be looking for someone of the opposite sex.

"Dems plenty o females in this bitch you gotta be moe specific you dip shit"

Cloud ignored him.

"She's beautiful, tends to flowers, and….."

Everyone now stared over at him as he seemed to be thinking as he scratched the back of his head. He had his eyes squinted real hard as he stared at his boots. What that damn idiot say?

"And?!"

"and…."

A brief flash of him in the back of the truck with an over genic black haired male laughing came into mind.

"With eyes as green as the planes of Gaia"

"…"

"Mofo, you sound like you just made her up! You even meet dis lady in your life? Besides that where in the fuck are you gonna find flowers in Midgar? Busta that ain't enough info to find one specific person in a place filled with millions of people you moron"

Cloud grunted his agreement as he passed by Barret. He may have found a Terrorist group of jackasses playing some sort of hero bullshit but he assumed even his description was far too vague to really pin point anyone. He fingered the letter in his pocket and walked to the door. The blond figured it was going to take a while before he finally found her.

"Forget about it then"

The blond responded as he pushed the door to the bar open.

"Cloud don't forget it's tomorrow at 0200"

Tifa yelled out as she was uneasy to just let him go. The blond merely waved a hand over his shoulder to acknowledge he had heard her.

/

Cloud ran his hand through his hair as he stared at the dark ceiling above him. He was lying on his back in an Inn near the 7th heaven bar. He had the fan spinning and he was just in the white t-shirt he wears underneath his zip up one. He rested his blade against the wall next to his bed and he closed the curtains. The clock read that it was almost six o'clock in the morning and figured he spent far too much time at that bar.

He sat up and let his arms fold over his thighs as he sat on the side of the bed. The blond ignored the laughing and loud music outside his door. No doubt the many drunks in the vicinity, he grabbed the letter on the counter and opened the paper. The last thing his friend ever wrote before the tragedy that befell him just a couple hundred miles from Midgar.

x

'Hey remember me? It's Zack!

How have you been? I know it's been a really long time since we've met and I promise I'll explain it all to you once I see you. I know it's abrupt and I really shouldn't be asking for favors but me and my buddy have run into a bit of trouble. Listen he's really sick and he can barely even move, he needs medicine and he's not getting any better. I'll be blunt we're on the run, we've been traveling for over a month now and I hate to say but I really got to get him to a doctor. Midgar has some of the best around, not to mention there's all sorts of work to be found. Listen if you could convince your mom to just let me keep him there for a couple days I'll really appreciate it. I promise I'll pay her back I swear. I'm in Kalm and I scored a ride in the back of truck so I'll be there in a day's time.

I guess now that I got the business end of things out of the way… How have you been? Honestly. I know a simple apology ain't gonna cut it but you better damn well believe I'm serious when I say that I am. Listen I can't really go into detail where I've been for the past five years but know this I'll explain to you everything. I hope you still let me have another date.

Take Care Aerith'

x

Cloud shook his head off and folded the paper back into the envelope. He felt it wasn't his place to read the letter directed to someone else but at least now he had a name. The blond couldn't really remember the times they were running; they were all such a distant blur. Just vivid dreams of being carried by Zack through the wilderness.

He recalled waking up in that green tube and Zack breaking it open. He didn't understand why he was in so much more ware then his friend. Yet again Zack had an uncanny way of healing.

'Dear god what in the fuck did they do to you Cloud?'

He flinched slightly as he clutched his head as his ears ringed loudly. Zack's voice burning the back of his brain stem and giving him Goosebumps. Once it subsided he found himself panting and sweating profusely as he let himself lay back down.

After that incident and leaving Shinra Manor everything else was just a blotched ink stained memory. Next thing you know you find your best friend bleeding to death and the only your still alive was because the bastards sent to kill thought you'd die anyway.

Cloud stared over at the massive sword slightly gleaming at the edge by the small light that entered through the curtain. Once he found that girl he'd go back and place that back were Zack fought to his death. After all it wasn't his and he felt even with that spikey black haired man gone, it still belonged to him. It's funny though, carrying that thing, it felt as if Zack was right there with him like he always was.

The blond finally shut his eyes as his exhaustion overtook him.

/

"Ya ain't First Class yet Strife, but you'll get there"

The man in the Shinra battle gear said loudly as he stared at the young punk who hadn't even been here for a year. Kid came in as a regular infantryman, which was abnormal within itself considering basic training for the infantry was considered the toughest and yet this boy just 13 years of age passed through selection.

He was turning heads for sure, and had been recently promoted to SOLDIER second class. Which each class of SOLDIER raised, the numbers in them are greatly lowered. Third class having the most recruits second class with a highly noticeable lesser number and the fabled First Classes of Shinra, which are just no more in number then the fingers of one hand.

Getting to become a SOLDIER was a feat within itself, getting into to First Class was downright legendary. First a recruit had to show the aptitude to even be considered SOLDIER, and then they were monitored if they could withstand the mako infusion to their eyes. SOLDIER by definition was Shinra's elite, otherwise known as Special Forces.

The blond panted and grunted as he stood up. His eyes slightly glowing green from the fresh injection of mako he received a day prior for ranking up. The fresh maroon outfit and tan boots showed his Second Class status. The training arena faded back to normal and an empty room was left in its wake once more. Cloud sheathed his sword behind his waist and walked up to the instructor.

"Listen up punk; you're getting paired up with some hot shot wannabe like you. We all figured ya'll make a good team considering, his names Zack Fair. Some backwoods country boy like you, meet him at the locker rooms after chow, dismissed."

"Sir"

Cloud grunted as he saluted and walked out of the training arena. As he did the sun was rising over the horizon. He walked down the corridors of the military installation known as Junon. He was quite away from home now. The young teen was caught off guard when a female soldier passed by and saluted him. He quickly saluted back, ever since coming into SOLDIER he often forgets his rank. After that incident he stared at the rising sun once more. The sun light rays warming up his face as they by passed the glass windows.

'I wonder what this guys like….'

With that last thought Cloud woke up with warm rays over his eyes.

/

"So are you going to go or not Hailey?"

"I don't know it's just, I'm waiting on Andrew…."

"Come girl who cares this is LOVELESS were talking about, if you're waiting on your deadbeat boyfriend to get you tickets your off your rocker"

Cloud did his best to ignore the two girls talking next to him as he waited for his burger to be cooked. He was in a stand setting on a stall, the ones next to him thankfully empty as he tapped his fingers on the counter and stared at the chef grill his burger. He decided to take upon himself to at least start somewhere in finding this woman and although the neighborhoods around this area aren't the best, even the most daring bandit thinks twice when they see him lugging that blade on his back.

This would also most likely be why nobody sits next to him. He took a small swig of the cup of cola he got with his meal and now quirked an eyebrow in the girls direction when they suddenly began whispering amongst themselves. He wouldn't have cared but they were staring at him which agitated him slightly.

"Susan, don't do it look at him, he looks like one of those dangerous types"

"I know but that just adds on to his cute face"

The girl in question was about to approach the blond to see if he'd like to attend the play with her. Both of them narrowed their eyes when a certain big busted scantily dressed bartender showed up. The fact that she sat down next to him without hesitation made them huff and mumble 'figures' as they walked out.

Tifa paid no mind to envious and hateful stares most of the female populous often gave her. Cloud for his part ignored the new presence and went back to staring at his food being made. It was almost finished as the chef put on a bun and began with his sauces.

"So this is where you were"

Again cloud remained silent as his food was placed in front of him and he began to eat.

"The usual"

Tifa said but the cook had already beaten as he began chopping away at the vegetables for her noodles. It was midday, somewhere a little passed five in the evening and only a couple more hours before their operation began. The long raven haired woman stared at the blond as he was already half done with his burger, displaying how hungry he was. Pretty soon a long pause occurred as is often the case between them and Tifa palmed her chin with her left hand as she rested her elbow on the counter. She made little circles with her index finger on the glass in front of her.

"So who's this girl you're looking for?"

"…"

"She your girlfriend?"

To this the blond actually snorted as he reached over for his fries and drank more of his cola.

"I have a message to deliver to her from an old friend and that's all there is to it"

"Oh so you're a delivery boy now?"

"…..Something like that"

The woman stared over at him now with arms folded on the counter as she thanked the chef for handing her plate. The blond was just munching down on his fries slowly with his arms folded on the counter. Even though Cloud was always cold and distant, he always had a vivid sense of adventure. The face she was seeing was one of an old man, who's seen in it, done it, and is tired of it. She took nibbles of her food and after a while she asked something she's wanted to know.

"Cloud what happened with you and Shinra?"

To this the blond tilted his head in her direction.

"I quit"

A vague and simple answer, which so easily described his personality.

"Cloud… You know what I mean"

The ever nagging voice ordering him to say nothing was once again losing to this woman. He honestly didn't know what it was about her, or maybe it had nothing to with her and more with himself. Was some dormant childhood need to have her attention and be the one she was looking at be what makes him interact with her when obviously doesn't want to?

"I was on the run"

"From Shinra?"

"Yeah, knew more then I should have and they found me a liability"

"You still running?"

"No, they think I'm dead and I'd like to keep it like that"

Their voices almost whispers as they ignored the various customers entering the stall and stared at one another. Tifa felt like asking what he did or what he knows to get an entire multi-million enterprise come hunting you down specifically but she felt asking that would be prying far too much. There so many things she wanted to ask though, so many questions she knew only he could answer. Cloud stared at his empty plate and wondered in what purpose does telling her all this benefit.

Maybe it was just nice to have someone to talk to and again Cloud was disgusted by the thought. He honestly felt like a walking shell with not one damn purpose nor direction to pull him. Everyone he knew from his past was dead, he had no home to go back to, and nothing to fall back on. So maybe when the last person who you do share memories comes knocking on your door he guessed it was kind of hard not to cling to that. The thing was the past was something the blond didn't want to remember.

With that last thought the blond stood up and left his payment as he turned around. Once more he felt himself halted as Tifa hand snatched his sleeve as he was about to leave. The dark brown haired woman staring at her plate.

"Don't forget tonight"

/

Standing on top of a fast locomotive stood a man with his cloths flapping rigorously by the momentum of speed. His long sleeve purple zip up shirt was parted slightly at the top of his chest to reveal the white T-shirt underneath. His baggy black cargo jeans blowing vigorously with the wind, showing his loose black belt. He stood tall at the head of the train as his black boots stayed in place. His leather tan gloves gripped his blade as he hefted it and strapped on his shoulders. He stared up and Shinra's home base stood proudly over all of Midgar.

With his right hand he gripped his blade as he stared at Shinra's headquarters.